What is the history behind Gould Manor Park?

By Kerry McManus

Gould Manor Park is one of the busiest parks in Fairfield. Located at 655 Holland Hill Rd., the open space is usually full of activity, with Little League fields, a pond, tennis courts, and a playground. The park is called Gould Manor, but the Gold/Gould family, after whom the park is named, never lived there. And a “manor” was likely never situated on the land, either.

The Gould family goes back to Nathan Gold, who came here from England around 1648. His descend-ants, who changed the spelling to Gould, were involved in Fairfield’s civic affairs, including the 1692 witchcraft trials. Captain John Gould built the Gould Homestead, a Greek Revival mansion, in 1840. It was located at 172 Post Rd. until 1956, when it was torn down to build a Food Fair supermarket.

So, how did this park get to be known as “Gould Manor”? The simple answer is that Oliver Gould Jennings, a descendant of Nathan Gold and prominent citizen of Fairfield, donated the land to the town in the 1930s. “Jennings was a very wealthy man who was behind many improvements and organizations in Fairfield, so he probably wanted to honor his Gould ancestors by naming the park for them,” says Fairfield Museum and History Center library director Elizabeth Rose.

Besides having terrific baseball fields, a playground, and tennis courts, Gould Manor Park is known in the winter for its sledding hills and skating pond. In warmer temps, there is fishing at Gould Manor pond. Check out Fairfieldct.org. for more information on seasonal activities there.